Electronic apparatus

ABSTRACT

According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes: a case having an upper wall and a lower wall; a connector housed in the case; a duct portion having a first opening that opens in the upper wall, the duct portion protruding from a peripheral edge of the first opening and more than a lower end of the connector toward the lower wall, the duct portion having a second opening that opens in the case at a protruding end; and a cable passed through the duct portion and electrically connected to the connector.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/488,287 filed Jul. 17, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. ______, which is basedupon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent ApplicationNo. 2005-211465, filed Jul. 21, 2005, the entire contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

One embodiment of the present invention relates to an electronicapparatus having an input mechanism such as a keyboard, and moreparticularly to a drip-proof structure of a case to which such an inputmechanism is attached.

2. Description of the Related Art

An electronic apparatus such as a portable computer includes a case. Inthe case, a circuit board on which electronic components such as aconnector are mounted is housed. Furthermore, the case includes an upperwall having a keyboard placing portion. The keyboard placing portion hasan opening which opens so as to expose the circuit board.

On the other hand, the keyboard which is to be mounted on the keyboardplacing portion has a cable which is to be electrically connected to theconnector. The work of connecting the cable to the connector isconducted through the opening. After the cable is conducted to theconnector, the keyboard is attached to the keyboard placing portion soas to cover the opening.

In the case where the user erroneously spills a liquid such as coffee ordrinking water on the keyboard during a period when the keyboard isoperated, for example, there is the possibility that the liquid entersthe interior of the case via a gap between the keyboard and the keyboardplacing portion, and the opening. When the liquid adheres to the circuitboard in the case, particularly, there is the possibility that a shortcircuit between wirings occurs, and an electronic component mounted onthe circuit board is damaged. Therefore, a computer which is providedwith a water-proof mechanism has been proposed (for example, seeJP-A-2003-122454).

The computer disclosed in JP-A-2003-122454 has a first discharge holewhich is formed in a board of a keyboard. A guide channel having asecond discharge hole is disposed below the first discharge hole.Furthermore, a third discharge hole which opens to the exterior of thecomputer is disposed below the second discharge hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A general architecture that implements the various feature of theinvention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Thedrawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrateembodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of theinvention.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary perspective view of a portable computer accordingto a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary exploded perspective view of a body in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary section view of the portable computer taken alongthe line A-A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary enlarged section view showing a duct portion inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary perspective view showing the manner of attachinga keyboard to the body in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary perspective view of the body in FIG. 1 viewedfrom the rear;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary enlarged perspective view showing the peripheryof a connector in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary perspective view showing the periphery of aconnector of a portable computer according to a second embodiment of theinvention; and

FIG. 9 is an exemplary section view of a portable computer according toa third embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments according to the invention will be described belowin detail with reference to the drawings. In general, according to oneembodiment of the invention, an electronic apparatus includes: a casehaving an upper wall and a lower wall; a connector housed in the case; aduct portion having a first opening that opens in the upper wall, theduct portion protruding from a peripheral edge of the first opening andmore than a lower end of the connector toward the lower wall, the ductportion having a second opening that opens in the case at a protrudingend; and a cable passed through the duct portion and electricallyconnected to the connector.

FIGS. 1 to 7 show a portable computer 1 which is an electronic apparatusof a first embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the portablecomputer 1 includes a body 2 and a display unit 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, the body 2 includes a body base 5, a board 6, a bodycover 7, and a keyboard 8 serving as an input mechanism. The body cover7 is attached to the body base 5 from the upper side so as to sandwichthe board 6 between the cover and the body base 5. Therefore, the body 2has a box-like case 9 having an upper wall 9 a, a lower wall 9 b, andside walls 9 c.

As shown in FIG. 1, the display unit 3 includes a display housing 11,and a liquid crystal display panel 12 which is housed in the displayhousing 11. The liquid crystal display panel 12 has a display screen 12a. The display screen 12 a is exposed to the outside of the displayhousing 11 through a front opening 11 a of the display housing 11.

The display unit 3 is supported by a rear end portion of the case 9 viaa hinge device which is not shown. Therefore, the display unit 3 isrotatable between a close position where the unit is tilted down so asto cover the upper wall 9 a from the upper side, and an open positionwhere the unit is raised so as to expose the display screen 12 a.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper wall 9 a of the body 2 has a keyboardplacing portion 14. The keyboard placing portion 14 detachably supportsthe keyboard 8. The keyboard placing portion 14 has a recess which isslightly larger than the outline of the keyboard 8. As shown in FIG. 3,the keyboard placing portion 14 has a bottom wall 15 serving as asupport wall, a peripheral wall 16, and a duct portion 18.

The bottom wall 15 is disposed in a substantially whole area of thekeyboard placing portion 14. When the keyboard 8 is attached to thekeyboard placing portion 14, the bottom wall 15 supports the keyboard 8from the lower side. The peripheral wall 16 is raised from the wholeperipheral edge of the bottom wall 15. As a part of the upper wall 9 aof the case 9, the bottom wall 15 and the peripheral wall 16 are formedintegrally with the upper wall 9 a in the portion which is outside thekeyboard placing portion 14.

As shown in FIG. 4, the duct portion 18 has a first opening 17, a ductwall 23, and a second opening 24.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first opening 17 is formed in the bottom wall15, and opens inside the case 9. The first opening 17 has a rectangularshape which is rounded at the edges, and in which the longitudinaldirection elongates along the width direction of the case 9. Other thanthe first opening 17, the keyboard placing portion 14 does not have anopening which opens in the case 9, and is watertightly formed togetherwith the upper wall 9 a in the portion which is outside the keyboardplacing portion 14.

The duct wall 23 protrudes from the peripheral edge of the first opening17 in the bottom wall 15, toward the lower wall 9 b of the case 9, andextends in a cylindrical manner. Namely, the interior of the ductportion 18 is hollowed, and one end 18 a of the portion opens in theexterior of the case 9 via the first opening 17. In the other end 18 bof the duct portion 18, i.e., a lower end portion which is a protrudingend, the second H opening 24 downward opens. That is, the second opening24 opens inside the case 9. The duct portion 18 is formed integrallywith the bottom wall 15.

The shape of the duct portion 18 is not restricted to that in the firstembodiment, but can be arbitrarily set. The duct portion 18 is notrequired to be formed integrally with the bottom wall 15, but may beformed separately from the bottom wall 15. In this case, the ductportion 18 is attached to the bottom wall 15 by means of, for example,adhesion or fitting. The configuration in which “the duct portion 18protrudes toward the lower wall 9 b” is not restricted to that in whichthe duct portion 18 protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the lowerwall 9 b, but the protrusion may be conducted in any direction as far asthe duct portion 18 protrudes in such a manner that it approaches thelower wall 9 b. “The protruding end of the duct portion 18” is notrestricted the protruding tip end in a narrow meaning, but includes alsoa portion in the vicinity of the protruding tip end. The openingdirection of the second opening 24 is not restricted to a downwarddirection. For example, the direction may be an obliquely downwarddirection, or a horizontal direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the case 9 houses the board 6 and a connector 26.The board 6 is positioned between the second opening 24 of the ductportion 18 and the bottom wall 15 of the keyboard placing portion 14. Inother words, the duct portion 18 is formed so as to protrude to thevicinity of the lower wall 9 b more than the board 6.

The board 6 has a first face 27, a second face 28, and a through hole29. The through hole 29 is formed in a portion which, when the board 6is housed in the case 9, corresponds to the duct portion 18. As shown inFIG. 7, the through hole 29 is a rectangular hole which is slightlylarger than the outer periphery of the duct wall 23. When the body cover7 is attached to the body base 5, the duct portion 18 is passed throughthe through hole 29, whereby the board 6 is placed between the secondopening 24 of the duct portion 18 and the bottom wall 15.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first face 27 of the board 6 is a face opposingthe bottom wall 15 of the keyboard placing portion 14, i.e., the upperface. The second face 28 is a face opposing the lower wall 9 b of thecase 9, i.e., the lower case. Electronic components 27 a which are lowerin mounting height than electronic components 28 a mounted on the secondface 28 are mainly mounted on the first face 27.

The connector 26 is mounted on the second face 28 of the board 6.Therefore, the duct portion 18 protrudes toward the lower wall 9 b morethan the lower end 26 a of the D connector 26, that is, downwardprotrudes more than the lower end 26 a of the connector 26. The board 6and the connector 26 are positioned within the range of the protrusionheight of the duct portion 18.

As shown in FIG. 4, the keyboard 8 has a keyboard board 31, plural keys32, and a cable 21. The keyboard board 31 is placed on the bottom wall15 of the keyboard placing portion 14. The keys 32 are arranged on theupper face of the keyboard board 31.

The cable 21 is guided from the keyboard board 31 to the duct portion18. The cable 21 is covered by an insulator. One end 21 a of the cable21 is connected to the keyboard board 31 in the keyboard placing portion14. The other end 21 b of the cable 21 is folded back so as to bedirected toward the second face 28 of the board 6, after passing throughthe duct portion 18, and then connected to the connector 26. Namely, thecable 21 electrically connects the keyboard 8 to the connector 26.Therefore, the cable 21 transmits a signal which is inputted to thekeyboard board 31 by depressing one of the keys 32, to the board 6 towhich the connector 26 is connected.

As shown in FIG. 6, the lower wall 9 b of the case 9 has an opening 34which opens so as to oppose the connector 26. The duct portion 18 andthe connector 26 are exposed to the exterior of the case 9 via theopening 34. A work of attaching the cable 21 to the connector 26 isconducted through the opening 34. The lower wall 9 b has a lid 35serving as a cover. The lid 35 is detachably attached to the lower wall9 b so as to cover the opening 34.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lid 35 has: an upper face 35 a which is exposedto the interior of the case 9; a lower face 35 b which is exposed to theexterior of the case 9; and plural discharge holes 35 c which are passedthrough from the upper face 35 a to the lower face 35 b. The dischargeholes 35 c are formed in a portion corresponding to the second opening24 of the duct portion 18, i.e., a portion below the second opening 24.

Next, the function of the portable computer 1 will be described.

First, the procedure of attaching the keyboard 8 to the body 2 will bedescribed. After the body base 5 and the body cover 7 are assembled, thekeyboard 8 is attached to the body 2. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5,the keyboard 8 is placed upside down on the upper wall 9 a of the body2, and the cable 21 is inserted into the interior of the duct portion 18via the first opening 17. Next, the keyboard 8 is reversed to bereturned to the normal posture, and then attached to the keyboardplacing portion 14.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6, the portable computer 1 is placed upsidedown. In this state, as shown in FIG. 7, works of leading out the end 21b of the cable 21 from the second opening 24 of the duct portion 18 viathe opening 34 of the lower wall 9 b, and connecting the cable 21 to theconnector 26 are conducted. Finally, the lid 35 which covers the opening34 is attached to the lower wall 9 b, and the portable computer 1 isreturned to the normal vertical posture.

In the case where the user erroneously spills a liquid such as coffee ordrinking water on the keyboard 8 during a period when the portablecomputer 1 is used, the liquid passes through the gap between thekeyboard 8 and the keyboard placing portion 14, and the first opening17, and then is guided to the interior of the duct portion 18. Theliquid which has been guided to the interior of the duct portion 18freely falls along the duct wall 23 to a position in the vicinity of thelower wall 9 b more than the board 6 and the connector 26. The liquid isdischarged to the exterior of the case 9 via the discharge holes 35 c.

According to thus configured portable computer 1, the water resistanceof the portable computer 1 can be easily enhanced without complicatingthe structure of the case 9. Namely, the liquid which tries to intrudeinto the body 2 enters the interior of the case 9 via the second opening24 with passing through the duct portion 18. The second opening 24 ispositioned in the vicinity of the lower wall 9 b more than the board 6and the connector 26, namely, lower than the board 6 and the connector26. Consequently, there is no possibility that the liquid dischargedfrom the second opening 24 falls on the board 6 and the connector 26. Inthis way, the board 6 and the connector 26 are protected from a liquidspilled onto the keyboard 8, whereby the portable computer 1 in whichthe water resistance is improved can be obtained.

Particularly, the portable computer 1 does not require an expensivesealing member of sponge, rubber, or the like. Furthermore, it is notnecessary to additionally dispose a water-proof member such as anattachment member for attaching the sealing member. Namely, the portablecomputer 1 can be produced very economically.

In a structure which uses a sealing member, the sealing member isusually attached with being compressed, and hence the strengths andthicknesses of the body base 5 and the body cover 7 must be considered.In the portable computer 1 of the embodiment, however, suchconsideration is not necessary. Furthermore, a member such as that forcompressing the sealing member is not required to be attached to thekeyboard placing portion 14. In the portable computer 1, therefore, thethickness of the body 2 can be reduced.

In the portable computer 1 of the embodiment, the keyboard placingportion 14 other than the first opening 17 is watertightly formedtogether with the upper wall 9 a. Unlike a keyboard placing portion of aconventional portable computer, namely, an opening for a connecting workthrough which the interior of the case 9 is largely exposed is notdisposed. According to the configuration, the board 6 and the connector26 are further protected from a liquid spilled onto the keyboard 8.

In the portable computer 1, even when an opening for a connecting workis not disposed in the keyboard placing portion 14, the work ofconnecting the cable 21 to the connector 26 is enabled by disposing theopening 34 in the lower wall 9 b of the case 9.

Since the duct portion 18 is formed integrally with the bottom wall 15of the keyboard placing portion 14, a gap which may be formed as aresult of attachment of the duct portion 18 and the bottom wall 15 canbe eliminated, and it is possible to prevent a liquid from enteringthrough the gap. The discharge holes 35 c allows a liquid which haspassed through the duct portion 18 to be discharged to the outside ofthe case 9 without remaining in the case 9.

Since the board 6 has the through hole 29, the board 6 can be placed inmore proximity to the bottom wall 15 as compared with the second opening24 of the duct portion 18, without being hindered by the duct portion18. In other words, the duct portion 18 can protrude toward the lowerwall 9 b without being hindered by the board 6. Since the electroniccomponents 27 a which are lower in mounting height than the electroniccomponents 28 a mounted on the second face 28 are mounted on the firstface 27 of the board 6, the distance between the board 6 and the bottomwall 15 can be reduced. Therefore, the protrusion height of the ductportion 18 can be suppressed, and the body 2 can be thinned.

Next, a portable computer 1 a which is an electronic apparatus accordingto a second embodiment of the invention will be described with referenceto FIG. 8. The components having the identical functions as those of theportable computer 1 of the first embodiment are denoted by the samereference numerals, and their description is omitted.

A board 6 a which is housed in the body 2 of the portable computer 1 ais placed between the second opening 24 of the duct portion 18 and thebottom wall 15 of the keyboard placing portion 14. The board 6 a has acutaway portion 41. The cutaway portion 41 is disposed in a portionwhich, when the board 6 is attached in the case 9, corresponds to theduct portion 18. In order to avoid the duct portion 18, the cutawayportion 41 is cut away to be slightly larger than the outer periphery ofthe duct wall 23.

As shown in FIG. 8, when the body cover 7 is attached to the body base5, the board 6 a is placed so as to avoid the duct portion 1S, becausethe board 6 a has the cutaway portion 41. Therefore, the board 6 a isplaced between the second opening 24 of the duct portion 18 and thebottom wall 15, without being hindered by the duct portion 18.

Also in the thus configured portable computer 1 a, the board 6 a can beplaced between the second opening 24 and the bottom wall 15. Therefore,the water resistance of the portable computer 1 a can be easily enhancedwithout complicating the structure. As indicated by the two-dot chainline in FIG. 8, a board 6 b itself may be placed at a position where itis not in contact with the duct portion 18, without disposing thethrough hole 29 and the cutaway portion 41.

Next, a portable computer 1 b which is an electronic apparatus accordingto a third embodiment of the invention will be described with referenceto FIG. 9. The components having the identical functions as those of theportable computer 1 of the first embodiment are denoted by the samereference numerals, and their description is omitted.

A touch pad placing portion 51 is formed on the upper wall 9 a of theportable computer 1 b. A touch pad 52 serving as an input mechanism isattached to the touch pad placing portion 51. The touch pad 52 has acable 53. As shown in FIG. 9, the cable 53 is led out to the keyboardplacing portion 14, and passed through the duct portion 18. One end 53 aof the cable 53 is connected to the touch pad 52 in the touch padplacing portion 51. The other end 53 b of the cable 53 is connected to aconnector 54 for the touch pad 52 inside the case 9. Namely, the cable53 electrically connects the touch pad 52 to the connector 54. Theconnector 54 is placed between the second opening 24 of the duct portion18 and the bottom wall 15. The duct portion 18 protrudes downward morethan the lower ends 54 a of the connector 54.

According to thus configured portable computer 1 b, the water resistanceof the portable computer 1 b can be easily enhanced without complicatingthe structure. In addition to the connector 26 to which the keyboard 8is connected, the connector 54 to which the touch pad 52 is connected,and the board 6 can be enhanced in waterproofness. The cable 53 of thetouch pad 52 may be placed with being vertically juxtaposed with thecable 21 of the keyboard 8 as in the embodiment, or may be placed withbeing horizontally juxtaposed with the cable 21 of the keyboard 8. Asindicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 9, a duct portion 55 for thetouch pad 52 may be disposed in the touch pad placing portion 51. Theduct portion 55 has a first opening 17 which opens in the touch padplacing portion 51, and a second opening 24 which opens in the case 9.The cable 53 of the touch pad 52 is passed through the duct portion 55,and then electrically connected to the connector 54 in the case 9.

The portable computers 1, 1 a, 1 b of the first to third embodimentshave been described. It is a matter of course that the invention is notrestricted to them. For example, the cables which are passed through theduct portion 18 are not restricted to the cable 21 for the keyboard 8and the cable 53 for the touch pad 52. For example, the invention can beapplied also to a cable which electrically connects the liquid crystaldisplay panel 12 of the display unit 3 to the board 6 housed in the case9. Furthermore, the invention can be applied to any electronic apparatushaving a cable which is disposed outside the case 9, and which isconnected to the connector 26 or the board 6 housed in the case 9.

The place where the duct portion 18 is disposed is not restricted to thekeyboard placing portion 14 or the touch pad placing portion 51. Forexample, the duct portion 18 may be disposed in the upper wall 9 abetween the display unit 3 and the keyboard placing portion 14, and maybe disposed in any place.

While certain embodiments of the inventions have been described, theseembodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are notintended to limit the scope of the inventions. Indeed, the novelstructure described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms;furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in thestructure described herein may be made without departing from the spiritof the inventions. The accompanying claims and their equivalents areintended to cover such forms of modifications as would fall within thescope and spirit of the inventions.

1. An electronic apparatus comprising: a case that includes: an upperwall in which a first opening is formed, and a lower wall; a ductportion that protrudes from the first opening formed in the upper walltoward the lower wall to regulate a flowing direction of a liquidspilled on the case, the duct portion having a second opening that opensin the case at a protruding end; a board that is housed in the case andthat includes a hole formed therein at a portion below the secondopening; a connector disposed on the board; and a cable passed throughthe duct portion and that is electrically connected to the connector. 2.The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper wallincludes a keyboard placing portion on which a keyboard is disposed, andwherein the duct portion is disposed in the keyboard placing portion. 3.The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cableelectrically connects the keyboard and the connector.
 4. The electronicapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the duct portion is integrallyformed with the upper wall.
 5. The electronic apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the lower wall includes an opening that is opposed tothe connector; and a cover that covers the opening.
 6. The electronicapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lower wall includes adischarge hole that is disposed at a position corresponding to thesecond opening of the duct portion to discharge the liquid passedthrough the duct portion to an exterior of the case.
 7. An electronicapparatus comprising: a case that includes an upper wall in which afirst opening is formed, and a lower wall; a duct portion that protrudesfrom the first opening formed in the upper wall toward the lower wall toregulate a flowing direction of a liquid spilled on the case, the ductportion having a second opening that opens in the case at a protrudingend; a board that is housed in the case, the board being placed to avoidbeing directly below the second opening; a connector that is disposed onthe board; and a cable that is passed through the duct portion and thatis electrically coupled to the connector.
 8. The electronic apparatusaccording to claim 7 further comprising a keyboard disposed on the upperwall of the case.
 9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 8,wherein the cable electrically connects the keyboard and the connector.10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the ductportion is integrally formed with the upper wall.
 11. The electronicapparatus according to claim 7, wherein the lower wall includes anopening that is opposed to the connector.
 12. The electronic apparatusaccording to claim 11, wherein the lower wall further includes a coverthat covers the opening.
 13. The electronic apparatus according to claim7, wherein the lower wall includes a discharge hole that is disposed ata position corresponding to the second opening of the duct portion todischarge the liquid passed through the duct portion to an exterior ofthe case.
 14. A method for assembling an electronic apparatus, themethod comprising: assembling a case including an upper wall and a lowerwall to sandwich a board therebetween, the upper wall including a firstopening formed therein and a duct portion protruding from the firstopening toward the lower wall, the lower wall including an openingformed therein; passing a cable coupled to a keyboard through the ductportion; placing the keyboard onto the upper wall; coupling the cablewith a connector disposed on the board; and attaching a cover onto thelower wall to cover the opening.